Page 75 of No Lies No Promises

Lillian’s fingers, seconds ago flying over the keyboard, stop abruptly. “Based on the purchase dates, not yet. That being said, both companies are ramping up production.”

Daed points to his laptop screen. “I have a satellite view of the Rehabo warehouse in Texas, if anyone wants to see it.”

Standing, looking over his shoulder, my stomach twists as he zooms in on a line of eighteen-wheelers.

“Are those all drones?” Lillian points at the hundreds of pallets inside the open metal container.

“Either that or there’s a rush on robotic housekeepers.” No one laughs, but I suspect Daed is making a point. Rehabo is not the benevolent company it claims to be online.

“We need to inform the FBI.” When Lil leans toward her computer, Dante strides across the room and snaps it shut.

“And say what?” His eyes dart around the table. “In case you all forgot, hacking is illegal.”

“Why not send a team to Texas?” To me, it seems obvious.

Raising her hand, Lil counters. “But what if this isn’t their first shipment? We need to destroy all the drones, every last one of them.”

Ignoring the rest of us, Dante focuses on her. “What are you suggesting?”

“Follow the money.” Her simplistic answer earns groans from every operator in the room, including me.

Mason, who’s been mostly quiet until now, pipes up, “Isn’t that what we have been doing?”

Lillian catches his eye. “Yes, but if my father is involved, there’s another set of books. Suppliers, shipments, phone numbers, order codes. Air-gapped, it never touches the internet.”

Daed raises his voice over everyone who starts to talk at once. “A week ago, Rehabo moved its headquarters from Delaware to Texas near the Alamo.”

“Where they’re loading the eighteen-wheelers,” I grunt. “Makes sense.”

“Right.” Lil shoots me the first real smile I’ve seen from her since we broke up. “Transactions will take place in bitcoin. Nothing online. Nothing easy to trace.”

Mason rolls his eyes. “So, there’s no way to infiltrate it.”

“You haven’t let me finish.” She shuts him down fast. “My father always has hard-copy backups. If he moved headquarters, you can bet he moved his ledgers.”

Dante places his palms on the table. “It’s settled, then. Lillian, you take the lead.”

Chapter 39

Lillian

If I hadn’t noted the call letters on Dante’s private jet, I’d swear I was walking onto a different one. Last time, all the seats faced forward. Now, a group in the back is gathered around a conference table. Following the men, I slide into a chair. Back to the windows, I place my laptop on the polished wood, laden with sandwiches, chips, and water. Sean takes the seat to my right. Mace, to my left, faces the rear of the cabin. Dante and Daedalus sit opposite them.

Between bites, I log into our secure group app and download my latest findings to the team. “Rehabo shows investors these books.”

Walking them through the line items, I open NanoMedico’s financials. “See anything missing?”

While I take a sip of water, no one comments, including AI Stanley.

“They’re too clean.” I set the bottle down. “No miscellaneous expenses. No office supplies. No shipping. No coffee. No petty cash. No little purchases rolled into an ‘Other’ category.” I glance around the table. “I spent years balancing my father’s ledgers. I know his fingerprints. The spreadsheets have them all in spades.”

“So, you think those companies belong to him?” Sean shifts in his seat, his thigh pressing against mine. For a man who broke up with me, he’s being awfully cozy.

Focus, Lil. Everyone is depending on you. “I do. I’m guessing Liam needed an infusion of cash. After the money guys left Parkhaven, he convinced them he could return twice their original investment.”

“By illegal means.” Mason bites off a chunk of roast beef sandwich.

“Hold on.” Glancing down at his screen, Daed wipes his fingers on a napkin. “Speaking of Boyle, he just phoned Fitzpatrick. I recorded it.”